This study aimed to propose an eco-compatible strategy to mitigate the possible environmental contamination caused by tebuthiuron. Therefore, we screened potential tebuthiuron-degrading microorganisms from conventional (CS) and no-till (NTS) systems producing sugarcane. Then, they were bioprospected for their ability of decomposing the target-molecule at 2.48 mmol g⁻¹ and 4.96 mmol g⁻¹ into CO₂ via respirometry. Integrating microbiota from CS and NTS into an advantageously synergistic bacterial pool produced the highest specific-growth rate of CO₂ of 89.60 mg day⁻¹, so outstripped the other inoculum. The bacterial CN-NTS framework notably stabilized the sigmoidal Gompertz curve on microbial degradation earliest and enabled the seeds of Lactucasativa to germinate healthiest throughout ecotoxicological bioassay for cross-validation. Our study is preliminary, but timely to provide knowledge of particular relevance to progress in the field's prominence in remediating terrestrial ecosystems where residual tebuthiuron can persist and contaminate. The analytical insights will act as an opening of solutions to develop high-throughput biotechnological strategies for environmental decontamination.

Herbicides are important for weed control but can severely impact ecosystems, causing soil and water contamination, biodiversity loss, and harm to non-target organisms. Tebuthiuron, widely used in sugarcane cultivation, is highly soluble and persistent, posing significant environmental risks. Microbial inoculation has emerged as a sustainable strategy to mitigate such damage. This study investigated the phytoremediation potential of Mucuna pruriens and Canavalia ensiformis in tebuthiuron-contaminated soils, enhanced by fungal and bacterial inoculants. Crotalaria juncea served as a bioindicator plant, and Lactuca sativa was used in ecotoxicological bioassays. During a 140-day greenhouse experiment from September 2021 to March 2022, M. pruriens showed faster growth than C. ensiformis in uncontaminated soils but was more affected by tebuthiuron. Bacterial inoculants improved M. pruriens growth under stress, while fungal inoculants mitigated tebuthiuron’s effects on C. ensiformis. C. juncea exhibited high sensitivity to tebuthiuron but grew beyond 100 cm with bacterial inoculants. Ecotoxicological assays showed that bacterial bioaugmentation significantly reduced soil toxicity. Natural attenuation further decreased tebuthiuron toxicity, and prior cultivation of M. pruriens enhanced soil detoxification. This integrated approach combining phytoremediation and bioaugmentation offers a sustainable method to degrade tebuthiuron, foster safer agriculture, and reduce environmental and health risks.

Herbicides impact, particularly tebuthiuron (TBT), on agroecosystems and surrounding environments had been documented in scientific literature. This study investigated the hypothesis that areas exposed to TBT, a prevalent herbicide in Brazil's sugarcane crops, might harbour microbial consortia capable of degrading this compound, assessed through a Bayesian‐based colorimetric method. Soil samples from plant cane (pC), characterised by lower organic matter on the surface, and first‐cut ratoon cane (rC) fields, with higher organic matter due to crop residues deposition, were collected for analysis. Colorimetric assays with DCPIP (2,6‐Dichlorophenolindophenol) were performed with microorganisms isolated from these fields to evaluate their TBT‐degradation capacity. In an ELISA microplate, absorbance was measured at 600 nm as DCPIP is a redox indicator. Results confirmed the degradation potential of soil microbial consortia, particularly from rC samples, as evidenced by reduced absorbance relative to the control. The data deviated from the expected sigmoidal pattern, necessitating an alternative data interpretation method. A Bayesian factor estimation approach for kernel density curves of the logarithmic response ratio proved effective for handling non‐sigmoidal spectrophotometric data. The findings offered valuable insights into TBT‐degrading microorganisms and introduced an alternative analytical tool for interpreting variable data, potentially aiding in the development of bio‐based remediation strategies.